Traveling grate

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a traveling grate having grate bolts connected by means of chain members, the bolts supporting side plate members slidably guided within a stationary grate casing and in contact with a sealing strip subjected to the pressure of a spring.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,8 Korting Oct. 22, 1974 [54] TRAVELINGGR TE 3,381,949 5/1968 Rowen 266/21 [75] Inventor: Reinhard Korting,Neubeckum, Germany 3,744,777 7/1973 Marsh 432/245 [73] Assrgnee:Poiyslus AG, Neubeckum, Germany FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1 Flledi1973 634,650 3/1950 Great Britain 110/40 c [21] Appl. No.: 393,648

Primary Examiner-Kenneth W. Spraguc [30] Foreign Application PriorityData Assistant Exammer-1ames C. Yeung Dec. 5, 1972 Germany 7244502Attorney Agent & Mcculloch [52] US. Cl 110/40 C, 34/242, 266/21,

432/121, 432/244, 110/40 E [57] BSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. F231) l/22 Theinvention concerns a traveling grate having grate [58] Field of Search110/40 A-40 E; bolts connected by means of chain members, the bolts 17266/20, 2 34/242 supporting side plate members slidably guided within astationary grate casing and in contact with a sealing [56] ReferencesCited strip subjected to the pressure of a spring.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Cl 1 D F 2,852,244 9/1958 Rowen 266/21 'gureTRAVELING GRATE Traveling grate constructions known in the art have sideplate members slidably guided within a stationary grate casing at theirupper and lower edges. The upper edge of each side plate member isguided by a stationary upper slide rail, whereas the lower edge of theside plate member is supported by a sealing strip pushed upward by meansof a spring. The side plate members of traveling grates are frequentlysubjected to very high temperatures because of the material located onthe grate or because of the means of treatment (e.g., hot gases).Therefore, the side plate members are frequently subjected to a strongthermal expansion while the stationary grate casing undergoescomparatively little thermal expansion because of its substantiallylower thermal load. Since the known construction prevents the downwardmovement of the sealing strip, possibly because of material locatedunder it (caused by the vertical expansion of the side plate member), itis necessary to provide a comparatively large clearance between the sideplate member and the upper stationary slide rail in its original (cold)state, in order to avoid jamming effects. However, this results in anincreased loss of material and gas at that crack, with all the resultingdifficulties.

A further disadvantage of the known traveling grate construction is thefact that the springs pressing against the sealing strip from below alsomust absorb the entire weight of the side plate members, in order toproduce sufficient sealing pressure at the upper slide surface.Accordingly, the springs must be of extraordinarily strong construction.Finally, a further disadvantage is the comparatively poor access to suchsprings.

An object of the present invention is to avoid these aforementioneddeficiencies of known constructions by providing a traveling grate ofthe type referred to and wherein a particularly reliable, trouble-freeoperating seal is provided. I

In accordance with the invention, the side plate members are providedwith outwardly directed flanges one each below and above the grate boltfasteners, whereby the lower flange pushes against a stationary sliderail of the grate casing, and the upper flange supports the sealingstrip when the strip is subjected to spring pressure.

Since the traveling grate according to the invention no longer providesa seal directly at the upper and lower edges of the side plate members,but rather along the two outwardly directed flanges of the side platemembers, the sealing zones are further removed from the high temperatureregion. Consequently, the resultant thermal expansions and thedifficulties connected therewith are considerably less in the sealingzones.

Furthermore, the distance between both flanges and thus the distance tothe two sealing surfaces in the embodiment according to the invention isconsiderably smaller than the total height of the side plate member(i.e., considerably smaller than the previous distance of the sealingsurfaces). Also for this reason, considerably less thermal expansionoccurs between the two sealing surfaces when the traveling grate of theinvention is used.

Since the lower flange is carried by a stationary slide rail and thesealing strip is supported by the upper flange when under springpressure, the springs are not subjected to the weight of the side platemembers, but merely need to produce the sealing pressure within therange of the sealing strip. As a result, they can be made withcomparatively small dimensions and are at the same time easilyaccessible at the new point of installation.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing which is afragmentary, transverse sectional view of a traveling grate.

The traveling grate shown in the partial cross section contains a numberof grate bolts 1 connected by sequentially adjacent chain members 2.These chain members 2 are supported by conveyor rollers 3.

Grate bolts I carry side plate members 4, which members laterallycontain the material 5 located on the traveling grate. The side platemembers 4 have two outwardly directed flanges 4a, 4b, of which flange 4ais located above and flange 4b below the grate bolt fastener 6.

The stationary grate casing 7 (shown only in a cutaway section) containsa lower stationary slide rail 8 which supports the lower flange 4b ofthe side plate member 4. The upper flange 4a of side plate member 4 isenclosed by a projection 10 with a groove 11 in which sealing strip 12can slide in a vertical direction. This sealing strip 12 is subjected tothe effect of several springs, preferably two springs 13 arranged inlongitudinal direction, which press sealing strip 12 toward the upperflange 4a of side plate member 4.

The stationarygrate casing 7 is provided with a cover plate 14 extendingbeyond the upper edge of the side plate member 4 with little clearance.

The lateral seal of the side plate member 4 against the escape ofmaterials and gas, is provided on the one hand at gliding surface 15between the upper flange 4a and the sealing strip 12, and on the otherhand at gliding surface 16 between the lower flange 4b and the sliderail 8. Since these gliding surfaces are comparatively far removedfrom'the high temperature area, and the vertical distance between themis not great, it is possible for the relatively small thermal expansionsoccuring in the course of operation to be absorbed without difficulty bya vertical shifting of the spring loaded sealing strip 12. Springs 13 aswell as the elements (e.g., 17) for adjusting the spring pressure arereadily accessible from the outside.

The embodiment illustrated has the lower flange 4b of side plate member4 arranged about at the height of the lower edge of said side platemember, and the upper flange 4a arranged still within'the lower half ofsaid side plate member. Obviously, other constructions are alsopossible. However, it is essential that the vertical distance betweenflanges 4a and 4b is kept as small as possible.

What is claimed is:

l. A traveling grate having an upstanding side plate at least at oneside thereof; a stationary grate casing adjacent said side plate andhaving a slide rail; vertically spaced flanges carried by said sideplate, the lower one of said flanges engaging said rail; a sealing stripcarried by said casing in engagement with the upper one of said flanges;and spring means acting on said strip and yieldably urging it towardsaid upper one of said flanges.

2. A traveling grate according to claim 1 wherein said lower and upperflanges are sandwiched between said rail and said strip.

3. A traveling grate according to claim 1 wherein said side plate has alower edge at a level corresponding substantially to the level of saidlower flange and cover plate carried by said casing and overlying theupper, edge of said side plate with little clearance.

6. A traveling grate according to claim 1 wherein said spring meanscomprises a plurality of springs spaced longitudinally of said sealingstrip.

1. A traveling grate having an upstanding side plate at least at oneside thereof; a stationary grate casing adjacent said side plate andhaving a slide rail; vertically spaced flanges carried by said sideplate, the lower one of said flanges engaging said rail; a sealing stripcarried by said casing in engagement with the upper one of said flanges;and spring means acting on said strip and yieldably urging it towardsaid upper one of said flanges.
 2. A traveling grate according to claim1 wherein said lower and upper flanges are sandwiched between said railand said strip.
 3. A traveling grate according to claim 1 wherein saidside plate has a lower edge at a level corresponding substantially tothe level of said lower flange and wherein the level of said upperflange is within the lower half of the height of said side plate.
 4. Atraveling grate according to claim 1 wherein said sealing strip isaccommodated in a groove formed in said casing.
 5. A travelIng grateaccording to claim 1 including a cover plate carried by said casing andoverlying the upper edge of said side plate with little clearance.
 6. Atraveling grate according to claim 1 wherein said spring means comprisesa plurality of springs spaced longitudinally of said sealing strip.